Market Profile Italy - VisitBritainMarket and Trade Profile Italy 1.1 Key statistics: regional...

Market and Trade Profile Italy

Market and

Trade Profile: Italy

Italy


• Chapter 1: Inbound market statistics provides insights on key statistics about

Italian travellers and who they are. It takes a look at Britain and its competitive

set as well as activities of Italian visitors in the UK.

• Chapter 2: Understanding the market takes a close look at Italian consumer

trends, booking, planning and further travel behaviour of this source market.

Perceptions of Britain held by Italians are also highlighted.

• Chapter 3: Access and travel trade shows how Italians travel to the UK, how to

best cater for their needs and wants during their stay and gives insights into the

Italian travel trade. Further ways of working with VisitBritain and other useful

research resources are pointed out.

2

Overview


Contents

Chapter 1:

Inbound market statistics

1.1 Key statistics 6

1.2 Visitor demographics 17

1.3 Britain & competitors 21

1.4 Inbound activities 23

Chapter 2:

Understanding the market

2.1 Structural drivers 31

2.2 Consumer trends 35

2.3 Booking and planning 39

2.4 Reaching the consumer 42

2.5 Perceptions of Britain 47

Chapter 3:

Access and travel trade

3.1 Access 55

3.2 Travel Trade 59

3.3 Caring for the consumer 65

3.4 Working with VisitBritain 68

3.5 Useful research resources 69

3


Inbound market

statistics

Chapter 1:

4


Chapter summary

• The Italian outbound market is forecasted to account for 35.8

million trips abroad with at least one overnight stay by 2020.

The UK was the third most popular destination behind France

and Spain for such trips in 2016.

• The Italians rank globally in 8th place for international tourism

expenditure with more than US$25.0bn.

• Italy was the 7th largest inbound source market for the UK for

volume and 7th most valuable for spend in 2016.

• France was the most considered alternative destination by

Italian visitors, whilst about one in four did not consider an

alternative destination to Britain.

• The Italian source market has a good seasonal spread with Q2

(April-June) the strongest quarter.

• 93% of departing Italian visitors are either ‘Very’ or ‘Extremely’

likely to recommend Britain for a holiday or short-break.

5

Chapter 1: Inbound market statistics

Source: International Passenger Survey by ONS, Oxford Economics (overnight trips), UNWTO, VisitBritain/IPSOS 2016, CAA 2016 (leisure

visitors)

2016:£980m

spend in UK


Key insights• Italy is Britain’s 7th largest source market in terms of visits and

7th most valuable for visitor spending (2016).

• 42% of spending came courtesy of holiday visitors, 22% from

study visits and 18% from visits to friends and/or relatives in

2016.

• Italian holiday visits set a new record of 924,000 visits and

VFR visits peaked at 547,000 in 2016.

• London is the leading destination for a trip to Britain but

South East, South West and Scotland are also popular

(based on the average nights spent in the UK 2014-2016).

• The most popular activities undertaken by Italian travellers in

Britain include shopping, going to the pub and dining in

restaurants as well as visiting parks and gardens, visiting

museums/art galleries and built heritage.

• Most Italian visits were organised independently rather than

bought as part of a package or all-inclusive holiday.

6

Chapter 1.1: Key statistics

Source: International Passenger Survey by ONS, Oxford Economics (overnight trips)

The UK was 3rd

most popular destination for

Italian outbound travel (2016)


1.1 Key statistics: global context and 10 year trend

7

Source: International Passenger Survey by ONS, UNWTO, Oxford Economics (overnight trips)

Measure 2016

International tourism

expenditure (US$bn)25.0

Global rank for international

tourism expenditure8

Number of outbound

overnight visits (m)31.3

Most visited destination France

Global context Inbound travel to Britain overview

Measure Visits

(000s)

Nights

(000s)

Spend

(£m)

10 year trend

2007 1,615 10,613 683

2008 1,639 11,189 809

2009 1,221 8,294 591

2010 1,472 10,330 722

2011 1,526 9,676 792

2012 1,521 10,021 760

2013 1,636 11,262 816

2014 1,757 13,396 922

2015 1,794 13,094 890

2016 1,990 13,027 980

Share of UK total

in 20165.3% 4.7% 4.3%


1.1 Key statistics – volume and value

8

Source: International Passenger Survey by ONS, *small base size

Measure 2016 Change

vs. 2015

Rank out of

UK top

markets

Visits (000s) 1,990 11% 7

Nights (000s) 13,027 -1% 6

Spend (£m) 980 10% 7

Inbound volume and value Nights per visit, spend

Averages by

journey purpose

in 2016

Nights

per

visit

Spend

per

night

Spend

per

visit

Holiday 5 £87 £445

Business 3 £125 £381

Visiting Friends/

Relatives6 £52 £315

Study* 38 £69 £2,637

All visits 7 £75 £493


1.1 Key statistics: journey purpose

9

Journey purpose 2016

Italy All markets

Source: International Passenger Survey by ONS; repeat / first time visitors question asked in 2015

• In 2016, 42% of spending came courtesy of holiday

visitors, 22% from study visits, 18 from visits to

friends and/or relatives and 14% from business visits.

• Business visits have grown in recent years but were

still short of the record set in 2006 (429,000 business

visits) by more than 60,000 visits in 2016.

• 94% of those coming to the UK for business visits

(excl. expats) had been to the UK before, followed by

those coming to visit friends or relatives who live in

the UK (87%).

46%

18%

27%

4% 4%

37%

24%

31%

1%6%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

Holiday Business VFR Study Misc.

Sh

are

of

vis

its

Journey purpose trend (visits 000s)

• 46% of all visits to the UK from Italy were made for

holiday purposes, followed by 27% of visits made

to visit friends and/or relatives in 2016.

• 59% of holiday visits from Italy to the UK in 2015

(excl. UK nationals) were made by repeat visitors.

• These repeat visitors came on average between

two and three times (a medium average visit

frequency compared to other markets) and spent

on average £1,267 in the UK in the past ten years.

• Italian holiday visits set a new record of 924,000

visits and VFR visits peaked at 547,000 in 2016.

924

365

547

82

72 0100200300400500600700800900

1,000

Holiday Business VFR Study Misc.


19%

29%

26% 26%

20%

27%28%

25%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

Jan-Mar Apr-Jun Jul-Sep Oct-Dec

Sh

are

of

vis

its

1.1 Key statistics: seasonality

10

Seasonality 2016

Italy All markets

Source: International Passenger Survey by ONS

• In 2016, 29% of visits from Italy to the UK were made

in the second quarter (Apr-Jun) followed by the last

quarter (Oct-Dec) and the summer quarter (Jul-Sep).

The latter, which is high season for many markets,

saw a slightly below average share of visits from Italy.

About 1 in 5 visits from Italy were made in Jan-Mar.

• The volume of visits for all quarters showed growth in

2016, led by the Apr-Jun period (+25% YoY). The last

quarter of the year has gained momentum in the last

few years, recently surpassing the summer season

which has fluctuated and peaked in 2014. Seasonality trend (visits 000s)

381

575

508 526

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

Jan - Mar Apr - Jun Jul - Sep Oct - Dec


1.1 Key statistics: length of stay and accommodation

11


Accommodation stayed in, 2016

(nights, %share)

• Short trips of 1-3 nights and 4-7 nights are the most

popular duration of stay amongst Italian visitors.

• Two forms of accommodation dominate the picture

with about one in three nights spent staying for free

with relatives or friends. 27% of nights are spent at a

‘hotel/guest house’. Hostels/university or school

accommodation are also popular making up 14% of

nights in 2016 closely followed by rented houses/flats

(11%).

Duration of stay trend (visits 000s)

6%

32%

0%14%

27%

3%

1%4%

1% 11%

Bed & Breakfast Free guest with relatives or friends

Holiday village/Centre Hostel/university/school

Hotel/guest house Other

Own home Paying guest family or friends house

Camping/caravan Rented house/flat

56

882

730

203

118

0

200

400

600

800

1,000

Nil nights 1-3 nights 4-7 nights

8-14 nights 15+ nights


1.1 Key statistics: regional spread

Region Nights stayed

(000)

Visits (000)

Total 13,172 1,847

Scotland (SC) 806 94

Wales (WA) 325 30

Northern Ireland (NI) 64 3

London (LDN) 7,234 1,201

North East (NE) 101 9

North West (NW) 479 74

Yorkshire (YO) 340 40

West Midlands (WM) 351 55

East Midlands (EM) 204 38

East of England (EoE) 760 94

South West (SW) 865 92

South East (SE) 1,632 200

Nil nights (Nil) N/A 46

12

Nights (% share,

2014-2016 average)


Visits to the UK in (2014-2016 average)


1.1 Key statistics: regional spread and top towns and cities

13

Source: International Passenger Survey by ONS, VisitBritain/IPSOS 2016, base: visitors

Town Visits (000s, 2014-2016 average)

London 1,201

Edinburgh 62

Manchester 38

Cambridge 26

Bristol 25

Top towns and cities visited • London is the leading destination for a trip to Britain,

accounting for 55% of visitor nights, but South East,

South West and Scotland are also popular based on

the average nights spent in the UK 2014-2016.

• Italian visits have a below average propensity to

feature rural and coastal areas of Britain.

• 5% of visits from Italy were bought as part of a

package or an all-inclusive tour, slightly below the all

market average. Most Italian visits to the UK were

organised independently in 2016 (please note ONS

definition of package holiday on page 16).

• Italian travellers have an above-average propensity to

use public transport while they are in Britain, both in

and outside of cities.

• The majority of Italian respondents buy their tickets for

transport in Britain whilst they are here (with the

exception of internal flights), especially transport in

London, airport transfers and train tickets. Fewer

transport services were pre-booked; airport transfers

were the most likely to be booked before the trip with

of visitors 39% stating they reserved them in advance.

Regional spread (2014-2016)

6%2%

55%

36%

0.5%

8%3%

40%

49%

0.8%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

Scotland Wales London Rest OfEngland

NorthernIreland

Sh

are

of

nig

hts

Italy All markets


1.1 Key statistics: visits to coast, countryside and villages

14

Source: International Passenger Survey by ONS 2016

13%

10%

18%

14%

17%

13%

9%

8%

9%

8%

9%

9%

0% 5% 10% 15% 20%

All journey purposes: Went to countryside or villages

All journey purposes: Went to the coast or beaches

Holiday: Went to countryside or villages

Holiday: Went to the coast or beaches

VFR: Went to countryside or villages

VFR: Went to the coast or beaches

Italy All markets

Propensity to visit coast, countryside and villages


1.1 Key statistics: use of internal modes of transport

15

Source: International Passenger Survey by ONS, 2013

Propensity to use internal modes of transport

2%

53%

28%

32%

8%

4%

8%

15%

2%

1%

68%

36%

27%

12%

5%

6%

4%

1%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%

Domestic flight

Bus, Tube, Tram or Metro Train(within town/city)

Train (outside town/city)

Taxi

Public bus/coach (outsidetown/city)

Private coach/minibus (forgroup only)

Hired self-drive car/vehicle

Car/vehicle you/group broughtto the UK

Ferry/boat

Italy All markets


1.1 Key statistics: purchase of transport and package tours

16

International Passenger Survey by ONS, base size may be small,

VisitBritain/IPSOS 2016, base: visitors

Transport services purchased before or

during trip (%) Proportion of visits that are bought as

part of a package or all-inclusive tour in

2016

0%

8%

1%

17%

4%5%

1%

14%

1%

9%

6% 6%

0%

2%

4%

6%

8%

10%

12%

14%

16%

18%

Business Holiday VFR Study Misc. Alljourney

purposes

Italy All markets

24%

60%

20%

27%

39%

43%

20%24%

17%

10%

26%

52%

27%

31%

36%

29%

24%25% 27%

15%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

Pre During Pre During Pre During Pre During Pre During

Transportwithin

London

Train travel Airporttransfer

Coach travel Car hire

Italy All marketsTo be defined as a package, a trip must be sold at an inclusive price covering both fares to and

from the UK and the cost of at least some accommodation. While some respondents may not know

the separate costs of their fares and their hotel because they bought several air tickets and several

sets of hotel accommodation from their travel agent, the ONS definition of a package is that the

costs cannot be separated.


Visitor characteristics

• Around three quarters of business visitors from

Italy are male.

• Almost three in five holiday visitors (excl. UK

nationals) are making a repeat visit to Britain.

• Most visits from Italy to the UK were made by

Italian nationals (91%) and 4% by British

nationals in 2016.

• 93% of departing Italian travellers are either

‘Very’ or ‘Extremely’ likely to recommend Britain

for a holiday or short-break.

• 88% of departing Italians felt ‘Very‘ or

‘Extremely‘ welcome in Britain.

17

1.2 Visitor demographics

Source: International Passenger Survey by ONS, CAA 2016 (leisure visitors)

93%‘Very’ or

‘Extremely’ likelyto recommend Britain

in 2016


75%

49% 47% 41%53%

80%

49% 44% 47%56%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Business Holiday VFR Study Misc.

Male (share of visits by journey purpose)

Italy All markets

1.2 Visitor demographics: gender and age groups

18

Source: International Passenger Survey by ONS, base may be small

Visitor demographics:

gender ratio of visits from Italy:

47% female, 53% male

Age group trend

25%

51% 53%59%

47%

20%

51% 56% 53%42%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

Business Holiday VFR Study Misc.

Female (% share of visits by journey purpose)

Italy All markets

91

319

477

394

383

223

102

10

100

200

300

400

500

600

2002 2005 2008 2011 2014

Vis

its (

000s)

0 -15 16-24 25-34

35-44 45-54 55-64

65+ Not Known


High

Medium

Low

Visits in 000s | % share of visits

19

1.2 Visitor demographics: origin

Source: International Passenger Survey by ONS, CIA World Factbook 2017

Visits to the UK in (000) 2014

• The largest proportion of Italian visitors

who came to the UK reside in the regions

of Lombardia, Lazio and Venice.

• The largest urban areas in terms of

inhabitants are Rome, Milan, Naples,

Turin, Palermo and Bergamo.


1.2 Visitor demographics: welcome and recommending Britain

20

Source: CAA 2016, asked to leisure visitors

Feeling of ‘welcome’ in Britain Likelihood to recommend Britain

42%

46%

12%

0% 0%

39%

49%

12%

0% 0%0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

Extremelywelcome

Verywelcome

Quitewelcome

Not verywelcome

Not at allwelcome

Italy All markets

46% 48%

6%

0% 0%

45% 45%

9%

1% 0%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

50%

Extremelylikely

Very likely Quite likely Not verylikely

Not at alllikely

Italy All markets


Market size, share and growth potential

• Britain was the 3rd most visited destination by

Italian travellers in 2016, behind France and

Spain, ahead of Germany.

• Forecasts suggest there is the potential for

growth in the number of visits to Britain during

the next decade.

• Of those who came to Britain for a holiday,

France was the most considered alternative

destination whilst about one in four decided to

travel to Britain without looking into alternative

destinations.

• 83% of the more than 66 million overnight trips

of the resident population in Italy were taken to

domestic destinations in 2016.

21

1.3 Britain and competitors

Source: Oxford Economics (outbound overnight trips), VisitBritain/IPSOS 2016, Istat 2016

Britain ranks 3rd

for Italian outbounddestinations by volume


1.3 Britain and competitors

22

Source: Oxford Economics (outbound overnight trips)

Britain’s market share of Italian visits

among competitor set

Historic and potential visits to Britain (000s)

2,126

0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

3%

3%

7%

9%

9%

23%

46%

3%

3%

6%

10%

11%

24%

43%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%

Switzerland

Netherlands

Austria

Germany

United Kingdom

Spain

France

2016 2011


Inbound Britain activities

• Most Italian visitors like to dine in a

restaurant or visit a pub while in Britain.

• Shopping is a very popular activity which

features in many Italian visits.

• Built heritage sites, and especially

museums, are important attractions for

many visitors from Italy.

• About half of holiday visits involve time in

a park or garden.

• Walking in the countryside is popular with

one in five Italian holiday or VFR visitors.

• About 13,000 visits per annum feature

time watching football.

• Italian visitors have a below average

propensity to visit the performing arts

during their stay in Britain.

23

1.4 Inbound activities

Source: International Passenger Survey by ONS (rankings based on 2011 and 2016)



24


Propensity to visit museums and

galleries

Propensity to visit built heritage sites

28%

48%

23%

35%

50%

29%

0% 20% 40% 60%

All journeypurposes

Holiday

VFR

Italy All markets

28%

20%

48%

35%

23%

18%

30%

23%

45%

32%

20%

17%

0% 20% 40% 60%

All journey purposes: visitedcastles/historic houses

All journey purposes: visited religiousbuildings

Holiday: visited castles/historic houses

Holiday: visited religious buildings

VFR: visited castles/historic houses

VFR: visited religious buildings

Italy All markets



25

Source: International Passenger Survey by ONS 2011 and 2016

Propensity to attend the performing arts Number who went to watch sport live

during trip (000s)

14%

4%

8%

3%

9%

3%

8%

4%

6%

2%

7%

3%

0% 10% 20%

Holiday: Went to thetheatre/musical/opera/ballet

Holiday: Attended a festival

VFR: Went to the theatre/musical/opera/ballet

VFR: Attended a festival

All journey purposes: Went to thetheatre/musical/opera/ballet

All journey purposes: Attended a festival

Italy All markets

3.2

2.2

0.0

1.4

0.6

0.6

0.0

1.0

0.5

0.0

0.0

0.0

8.5

1.6

2.4

0.0

0 2 4 6 8 10

Football

Rugby

Cricket

Horse racing

Holiday Business VFR Misc.



26

Source: International Passenger Survey by ONS 2007, 2010 and 2016

Propensity to go for a walk or cycle Propensity to visit a park or garden

20%

1%

8%

28%

2%

11%

26%

2%

11%

16%

1%

7%

21%

2%

10%

21%

1%

8%

0% 10% 20% 30%

All journey purposes: Walking in thecountryside

All journey purposes: Cycling

All journey purposes: Walking along the coast

VFR: Walking in the countryside

VFR: Cycling

VFR: Walking along the coast

Holiday: Walking in the countryside

Holiday: Cycling

Holiday: Walking along the coast

Italy All markets

32%

7%

50%

32%

36%

9%

51%

32%

0% 20% 40% 60%

All journey purposes:Visiting parks or

gardens

Business: Visitingparks or gardens

Holiday: Visiting parksor gardens

VFR: Visiting parks orgardens

Italy All markets



27

Source: International Passenger Survey by ONS 2007, 2008, 2011 and 2013

Propensity to go to restaurants, pubs,

night clubs and socialise with locals

Propensity to purchase selected items

(%)

41%

10%

9%

12%

13%

9%

24%

5%

3%

3%

16%

38%

45%

10%

10%

8%

11%

9%

20%

4%

2%

2%

20%

36%

0% 20% 40% 60%

Clothes or Shoes

Personal accessories e.g. jewellery

Bags, purses etc

Cosmetics or toiletries e.g. perfume

Books or stationery

Games, toys or gifts for children

Food or drink

CDs, DVDs, computer games etc

Electrical or electronic items e.g. camera

Items for your home e.g. furnishing

Other holiday souvenir (not mentioned…

None of these

Italy All markets

45%

34%

61%

12%

31%

15%

49%

50%

36%

70%

14%

53%

50%

62%

14%

43%

28%

57%

11%

27%

15%

52%

46%

26%

60%

14%

52%

45%

59%

11%

0% 50% 100%

All journey purposes: went to pub

All journey purposes: socialising with the locals

All journey purposes: dining in restaurants

All journey purposes: went to bars or night clubs

Business: went to pub

Business: socialising with the locals

Business: dining in restaurants

Holiday: went to pub

Holiday: socialising with the locals

Holiday: dining in restaurants

Holiday: went to bars or night clubs

VFR: went to pub

VFR: socialising with the locals

VFR: dining in restaurants

VFR: went to bars or night clubs

Italy All markets



28


Propensity for visit to include an English

language course (%)

7%

1% 2%

82%

2%6%

2% 3%

61%

4%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

Holidayvisitors

Businessvisitors

VFRvisitors

Studyvisitors

Miscvisitors

Italy All Markets


Understanding

the market

Chapter 2:

29


Chapter summary

• Italy has a population of about 61 million.

• Whilst one in three Italians did not take overnight trips away from

home in the past year (higher than the European average), it is very

common for the majority to go on more than one such trip, indicating

that travel is important to them.

• More than one in three Italian holiday visitors tend to start thinking

about their trip to Britain more than half a year in advance.

• Only few Italian bookings are made more than half a year in advance.

40% book between three and six months prior to departure but half of

holiday bookings of a trip to Britain were made within two months prior.

• Friends, family and colleagues are the most influencial source when

choosing a holiday destination.

• Italians rate Britain highly for its contemporary culture, vibrant cities,

sport, historic buildings and monuments and cultural heritage. Britain’s

strengths include the perception that it is a good destination to see

‘famous sites’ and ‘lots of history’.

30

2.Understanding the market

Source: Oxford Economcis, VisitBritain/IPSOS 2016, GfK Anholt Nation Brands Index 2016, Flash Eurobarometer 432 by EC 2016

Cultural attractionsMost important draw

for Italian leisurevisitors for choosing

Britain


Demographics & society• Population of about 61 million.

• Italy is a republic.

• There are 15 regions: Abruzzo, Basilicata, Calabria, Campania, Emilia-

Romagna, Lazio, Liguria, Lombardia, Marche, Molise, Piemonte, Puglia,

Toscana, Umbria and Veneto.

• There are also 5 autonomous regions: Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Sardegna,

Sicilia, Trentino-Alto Adige and Valle d‘Aosta.

• The population is fairly evenly distributed in most parts of the country

with coastal areas, the Po River Valley and urban areas being more

densly populated.

• The official language is Italian. German, French and Slovene are also

spoken in some parts of the country. English is taught as a foreign

language in school.

• Italian employees receive an average of 30 days annual leave.

31

2.1 Structural drivers

Source: Oxford Economics, CIA World Factbook 2017

60.7mItalian

population


2.1 Structural drivers: population and economic indicators

32

Source: Oxford Economics, CIA World Factbook 2017

Measure 2016

estimate

Total population 60,747,000

Net No. migrants per

1,000 population4

Average annual rate of population

change in 2015 - 20200.1%

Population dynamics

Indicator 2016 2017 2018

Real GDP 1.1% 1.6% 1.4%

Consumer spending 1.5% 1.4% 1.2%

Unemployment rate 11.7% 11.2% 10.8%

Average earnings 0.8% 0.5% 1.2%

Consumer prices -0.1% 1.3% 0.9%

Economic indicators


2.1 Structural drivers: general market overview

33

Source: Oxford Economics, Capgemini World Wealth Report 2017, CIA World Factbook 2017

Key demographic and economic data

Measure (2016 data) Italy Eurozone

Population (m) 60.7 336.8

GDP per capita PPP (US$) 33,555 38,071

Annual average GDP growth

over past decade (%)-0.6 0.6

Annual average GDP growth

in 2016 (%)1.1 1.7

General market conditions

• Italy was Britain’s 7th largest source market in terms of

visits and also 7th most valuable for visitor spending in

2016.

• The Italian economy shows signs of recovery and

GDP growth is thus forecasted at 1.6% in 2017. The

risk of upcoming legislative elections potentially

happening in early 2018 could create some time of

increased uncertainty. (Oxford Economics)

• The country has a population of about 61 million with

a median age of 46 – the Italian population is ageing

and currently the one with the third highest median

age in Europe, sixth highest globally.

• Most people in Italy are well-educated and enjoy a

good standard of living; however, real GDP per capita

in purchasing power parity terms is around

US$34,000, lower than the Eurozone average.

• According to the Capgemini World Wealth Report

there were 252,000 High Net Worth Individuals

(HNWI) resident in Italy in 2016, these being people

with investible assets worth more than $1 million,

representing an increase of 10% on 2015. This

represents the tenth largest HNWI population in the

world.


2.1 Structural drivers: exchange rate trends

34

Source. Bank of England

Exchange rate trends (cost of GBP in EUR)

1.00

1.10

1.20

1.30

1.40

1.50

1.60

1.70

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017

Please find the most up-to-date exchange rate trend based on monthly averages at visitbritain.org/visitor-economy-facts.

https://www.visitbritain.org/visitor-economy-facts


• Most overnight trips taken by the Italian resident

population are trips within Italy to domestic destinations.

Most of the overnight travel abroad is to other countries

in Europe.

• Short breaks of up to three nights, which account for 29

million Italian overnight trips, in particular saw strong

growth in 2016.

• The sharing economy in Italy is growing in all areas of

life including tourism and transport as well as culture. In

2016, there were 206 sharing economy platforms (incl.

58 for crowdfunding). This is an increase of 11% on

2015.

• The number of “mTravellers“, i.e. those using their

smartphone to plan or book trips is steadily increasing

in Italy: according to data gathered by Amadeus there

are 1.3 million “mTravellers“ in Italy, up 125% on 2014

and estimates show the value of touristic products and

services transacted via smartphones is €40million.

35

2.2 Consumer trends

Sources: Istat 2016, Flash Eurobarometer 432 by EC 2016: During 2015, how many times did you travel for professional or personal reasons where you were away from

home for a minimum of one night?, VisitBritain/IPSOS 2016, StartupItalia! ‘Tutti i numeri della sharing economy in Italia nel 2016’, Italia Online ‘Turismo e smartphone: il 42%

dei viaggiatori è ’mobile’

70% of Italians took at least

one overnight trip away from home.

http://smartmoney.startupitalia.eu/news/59165-20161115-numeri-sharing-economy-italia-2016-report

https://siviaggia.it/notizie/turismo-smartphone-viaggiatori-mobile/134332/


2.2 Consumer trends: overall travel trends

36

Source: Istat 2016

Travel trends

• In 2016, the resident population in Italy took an more

than an estimated 66 million overnight trips (an increase

of 14% on 2015), totalling at more than 355 million

nights away from home.

• Most of these overnight trips were taken for leisure

(90%). One in ten of the overnight trips had a business

purpose. About 45% of trips were considered as ‘long

holidays’ of four or more nights.

• Short breaks of up to three nights made up an

estimated 29 million trips and showed strong year-on-

year growth in 2016, up 21% on 2015. ‘Long holidays‘

accounted for almost 30 million overnight trips and also

increased, up 11% on 2015.

• 42% of the overnight trips by the Italian resident

population are made in summer. About one in three

take a holiday in summer (up 14% compared to

summer 2015). The average duration of a summer

holiday is 8 nights, almost double the average length of

trips taken at other times of the year.

• 83% of the overnight trips were taken within Italy to

domestic destinations. The largest number of overnight

trips abroad (17%) were taken to another country of the

European Union. France and Spain were the most

visited countries in 2016 (13% and 11% respectively).

• Spain continues to be the preferred destination for long

holidays (12%), France for short holidays (22%).

Among trips to destinations outside of Europe, the U.S.

is the most popular holiday destination (16%), while

China receives the largest share of business visits

(8%).


2.2 Consumer trends: motivation and attitudes to holidays

37

Sources: Flash Eurobarometer 432 by EC 2016: During 2015, how many times did you travel for professional or personal reasons where you were away from home for a minimum of one night?,

VisitBritain/IPSOS 2016

Number of overnight trips away from home

for all journey purposes (%)

31%

16%14%

12% 12%10%

6%

0%0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

None 1 2 3 4-5 6-10 10+ DK

• Whilst about one in three Italians did not take overnight trips

away from home (above European average) it is very

common for the majority to go on more than one such trip.

Motivation and attitudes to holidays

• Whilst more than one in three Italians said that they

were unlikely to amend their holiday plans due to the

economic situation (35%), almost one in four (23%) said

that they go on holidays in 2016 but are likely to spend

less (Flash Eurobarometer 432 by EC). This shows a

higher impact than the European average.

• For Italians, top motivations to choose Britain as a

holiday desitnation include: cultural attractions,

somewhere where English is spoken, a place that is

new to them, the ease of getting around, vibrant cities

and a culture that is different from their own.

• The Italian traveller, in general, tends to be exigent and

places high importance on good living. Authenticity of

the travel experience and value for money are often

important to them.


2.2 Consumer trends: reasons for holidays

Main reasons for going

on holiday (%)

38

Reasons to return to the same destination

for a holiday

• Asked for reasons which would make them come back, about one

in three Italians tend to value natural features. Cultural and

historical attractions and the welcome are also found to be key for

roughly one in four Italian respondents.

• Amongst the main reasons for going on a holiday for Italian

travellers are: sun/beach and city trips followed by culture

and visiting family/friends/relatives. Nature is important to

about one in five – below its share for other EU countries.

39%

13%

27%

12%

31%

26%

38%

9%

36%

16%

36%

3%

18%

30%

28%

9%

0% 20% 40% 60%

Sun/beach

Wellness/Spa/health treatment

City trips

Sport-related activities

Nature

Culture

Visiting family/ friends / relatives

Specific events

Italy EU28

32%

45%

24%

21%

20%

31%

6%

17%

34%

16%

23%

13%

26%

2%

0% 20% 40% 60%

The quality of the accommodation

The natural features

The general level of prices

How tourists are welcomed

The activities/services available

Cultural and historical attractions

Accessible facilities

Italy EU28

Source: Flash Eurobarometer 432 by EC 2016: What were your main reasons for going on holiday in 2015? Firstly? And then? and Which of the following would make you go back to the same

place for a holiday? Firstly? And then?


• More than one in three Italian visitors tend to start

thinking early about their trip to Britain, i.e. half a

year or more in advance of their journey; 40% did

this three to six months in advance.

• 66% made their decision to travel to Britain at

least three months before the actual journey (most

commonly between three and six months ahead).

• 40% of bookings were made in the three to six

month window before arrival in Britain. 30% of

Italian visitors booked between one and two

months in advance and 20% of Italian bookings

happened within one month before the trip.

• Most bookings to Britain were made online. When

travel and accommodation are booked together,

more than one in four visitors made the booking

face-to-face.

39

2.3 Booking and planning

Source: VisitBritain/IPSOS 2016

50%of Italian visitors booked

within two months of their arrival in Britain


2.3 Booking and planning: booking channels and ticket sales

40

Source: VisitBritain/IPSOS 2016, base: visitors (online survey)

How trips to Britain were booked Propensity to make a purchase before or

during trip

22%19%

16%

7%

21%

28%

20% 19%

26%

42%

30%

23% 24%

11%

28%

22%

28%

19%

31%

41%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

Pre During Pre During Pre During Pre During Pre During

Theatre /Musical /

Concert tickets

Sporting eventtickets

Guidedsightseeing

tours in London

Guidedsightseeing

tours outside ofLondon

Tickets / passesfor other tourist

attractions

Italy All markets

• Italian visitors have become increasingly comfortable with

booking their trips to Britain online, especially when they

book travel (i.e. transport to Britain).

• 28% of bookings were made face to face when they

booked a holiday arrangement (i.e. travel and

accommodation combined). This compares to the global

average of 26%.

• Prior to trip: Across all categories, at least one in five

Italian respondents made a booking prior to the trip to

Britain, with the exception of sporting event tickets.

• During the trip: Tickets to guided sightseeing tours in

London and tickets/passes for other tourist attractions

were most likely to be bought during the trip.

91%

73%68%

7%

9%28%

1%

1%

2%

16%

1% 1% 2%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Travel Accommodation Holiday(travel and

accommodation)

Don’t know

Did not book – stayed with friends / relatives

By phone

Face to face

Online


2.3 Booking and planning: lead-times

41

Source: VisitBritain/IPSOS 2016, base: visitors

Decision lead-time for visiting

Britain

• More than one in three Italian visitors tend to start

thinking early about their trip to Britain, i.e. half a year or

more in advance of their journey; 40% did this three to

six months in advance.

• 66% made their decision to travel to Britain at least three

months prior to the actual journey (47% between three

and six months prior to departure).

• Almost half of Italian visitors looked at options and

prices between three and six months ahead of the trip

and 40% made the booking in the same time frame.

28% were more spontaneous and looked at options

between one and two months before the trip and 10%

within one month.

• 30% booked their trip to Britain between one and two

months before and 20% in the month leading up to the

departure. Very few Italians make bookings more than 6

months in advance of a trip to Britain (7%) – this

compares to the global average of 14%. A slight

tendency to make the booking closer to the departure in

the Italian market is evident.

36%

40%

16%

7%

2%

19%

47%

24%

8%

2%

13%

46%

28%

10%

2%

7%

40%

30%

20%

3%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

50%

6+ monthsbefore trip

3-6 monthsbefore

1-2 monthsbefore

Less than 1month before

Don't know

% starting to think about trip at each stage

% deciding on the destination at each stage

% looking at options/prices at each stage

% booking the trip at each stage


• The most influential source for destination

choice for Italian visitors are friends, family and

colleagues followed by websites providing

traveller reviews, information on search engines

and price comparison websites.

• Whilst online sources are very popular for

researching and making a destination choice,

still about one in four Italians consult travel

guidebooks.

• More than 90% of the Italian population

regularly watch TV. The radio audience has

seen slight increases recently, also driven by

web radio and podcasts.

42

2.4 Reaching the consumer

Source: VisitBritain/IPSOS 2016, Confidustria 2017, Radio Monitor

Friends, family & colleagues

#1 Influence for the destination choice

of the Italians


Broadcast media• 93% of the Italian population regularly watch TV. This

proportion is even higher for young people (aged 6-14)

and seniors (aged 55-74).

• National public TV channels include RAI (main RAI1,

RAI2, RAI3), Mediaset (Canale 5, Italia 1, Rete 4), La7

• Commercial TV landscape: Sky (116). Mediaset Premium

(39 channels), Fox International Channels Italy (24),

Discovery (21) and Netflix

• Dedicated travel programmes/Channels: Marco Polo TV,

Alle Fade del Kilimangiaro (RAI3), Donnavventura (Rete

4), Il Cuoco Vagabondo (LaEffe), Dreams Road (RAI1),

Easy Driver (RAI1)

2.4 Reaching the consumer: broadcast media, radio and papers

Source: Istat 2016, Confindustria 2017, Radio Monitor

Radio• According to Radio Monitor, radio enjoys high popularity.

The daily audience in Italy in 2016 is more than 35 million

(+1% year-on-year), reaching almost 83% of Italians. The

number of listeners who tune in for a short amount of time

has especially increased. Often Italians listen to the radio in

their car and the web radio and podcasts have also helped to

increase its reach. Some channels have dedicated travel

progammes, e.g. Radio Capital (Capital in the World).

• Rtl 102.5 is the leading channel (almost 7 million listeners on

an average day)

Newspapers• More than 40 million Italians read at least one publication

per month. 8 in 10 adults read at least one paper title or

digital edition.

• 17 million Italians (33%) read at least one newspaper

daily.

• The main publishing houses are gathered in Milan (RCS

for Il Corrierre della Sera) and Rome (La Repubblica)

• There are 21 national dailies and 44 regional dialies in

Italy. The largest national newspapers include: Il Corriere

della Sera (circulation: 472,883), La Repubblica

(circulation: 455,672), Il Sole 24 Ore (circulation:

257,305), Quotidiano Nazionale (circulation: 369,254) and

La Gazzetta dello Sport (circulation: 297,867).

• Almost all newspapers have weekly travel or lifestyle

sections and/or supplements with travel content sourced

internally (often the result of press visits) or produced by

news agencies or freelance journalists.


Magazines• 40 weekly magazines registered (FIEG), including

newspaper supplements (15m Italians read a weekly

magazine, 28% of the adult population) and 56 monthly

magazines (14m Italians read a monthly magazine, 26%

of the adult population).

• Top 5 Italian travel magazines by circulation: Dove

(circulation: 68,117 ), Bell’Europa (circulation: 41,500),

Touring (circulation: 196,430), In Viaggio (circulation:

38,200), National Geographic Italia (circulation: 91,007).

• Media trends:

• Travel sections are still featured in the most-read

female/male weekly and monthly magazines.

• The online editions continue to grow and are well

regarded. The online versions of the main newspapers

have dedicated travel sections.

• Lifestyle in general, including food&drink trends, are very

fashionable and widely featured in many outlets.

• Niche themes such as cycling routes, green holidays, and

wellbeing are also featured.

• The media landscape, especially the traditional one, is

quite stable.

Online media• Almost four in five Italians have access to the Internet. 66%

of the population use it daily (a proportion which is increasing

but still below the EU average of 71%). There are 31 million

social media users as of 2016 (+11%), with strong growth of

17% year-on-year among mobile social media users, who

now account for 47% of the whole population in Italy.

• Most Italians still browse the web via their desktop (63%),

although the desktop share is decreasing with mobile web

traffic on the rise (+44% YoY), now representing 31% of

Internet use.

• The most popular social media platform is YouTube, with a

market penetration of 57% (31% of Italians watch online

videos at least once per day), followed by Facebook (55%),

WhatsApp (48%), FB Messenger (33%) and Instagram

(28%).

• Italians tend to use fewer social media platforms, but more

frequently than the global average. 52% of the population

logs in to social media platforms on a monthly basis

(compared to a global average of 37%) and 74% of

Facebook users connect to the platform every day

(compared to a global average of 55%).

2.4 Reaching the consumer: magazines and online media

Source: We are social SRL 2017, FIEG (Federazione Italiana Editori Giornali), Eurostat 2016

https://wearesocial.com/it/blog/2017/01/digital-in-2017-in-italia-e-nel-mondo


19%

20%

23%

25%

29%

29%

30%

39%

44%

13%

17%

18%

21%

23%

26%

28%

44%

37%

0% 50%

Share my own advice or recommendations about visitingwhere I am

Ask for advice on where to go or what to do

To help you plan / decide where to go or what to see orwhat to do

To let people know where I am at a given moment (e.g.checking in on Facebook)

Share with others where you are / what you are doingwhile on holiday

I have not used social media at all on this type of holiday

Look for recommendations for places to eat or drink

To post / upload photos of my holiday

To keep in touch with people at home

Italy All markets

2.4 Reaching the consumer: social media on holiday

45

Source: VisitBritain/IPSOS 2016, base: all respondents: Have you used social media in any of the following ways whilst on your last holiday to Britain (visitors) /on your last holiday to a foreign

destination (considerers)?

Use of social media on holiday • The Italians are heavy users of social media and

digitally savvy in general.

• 44% like to post/upload their holiday photos and 37%

like to keep in touch with their people at home.

• 72% like to stay connected whilst they are on holiday

and 79% regard a smartphone as essential whilst they

are on holiday, above the all-market average of 73%.

• 86% of Italian travellers love to take photos when they

are on holiday, above the all-market average of 78%.

• 81% of Italian travellers have shared holiday photos

online or would like to do so and 70% have shared

holiday video content or would like to do so. More

Italian respondents than the average from other

markets have already used location technology to find

places to visit (65%) and a further 21% are interested

in using it. 51% enjoy writing reviews on social media

of places they have been to on holiday and 61% place

trust in reviews on social media from other tourists;

both of these are higher than in most European

markets.


6%

6%

9%

9%

11%

12%

12%

14%

14%

15%

15%

15%

16%

16%

17%

18%

18%

19%

19%

22%

25%

25%

26%

26%

30%

31%

33%

40%

6%

5%

9%

5%

10%

12%

12%

8%

15%

15%

13%

13%

12%

12%

16%

18%

14%

18%

17%

32%

16%

24%

25%

23%

43%

37%

41%

49%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

Information in radio adverts

Travel programme on radio

Images / information on billboards / poster adverts

Seeing social media posts from celebrities talking about their holiday destinations

Images / information in TV adverts

Articles on an online encyclopaedia e.g. Wikipedia, Wikitravel

Images / information in adverts in a magazine or newspaper

Travel app

Images or videos from a photo/video sharing social network site

A special offer or price deal you saw advertised offline e.g. in a newspaper, magazine or on TV

Images / information in online adverts

Images or videos your friends or family have posted to social media

Direct advice from a travel agent/tour operator (face-to-face, over the phone)

A travel feature / article in a magazine or newspaper

An official tourist brochure for the country / city / region

An official tourist organisation website or social media site for the country or destination

Travel agent or tour operator brochure

A special offer or price deal you saw advertised online

Travel programme on TV

Travel blogs / forums

Travel agent or tour operator website

A travel guidebook

An accommodation provider/ hotel website

Talking to friends or family in your social network (e.g. via Facebook / Twitter)

Websites providing traveller reviews of destinations [e.g. TripAdvisor]

Looking at prices of holidays/flights on price comparison websites

Information from search engines [e.g. Google]

Talking to friends / relatives / colleagues

Italy All markets

2.4 Reaching the consumer: influences

46

Source: VisitBritain/IPSOS 2016, base visitors & considerers. Which of the following sources influenced your choice of destination? (Market scores have been adjusted so that the sum of all influences

for each market is equivalent to the global total, to enable meaningful comparisons)

Influences on destination choice


• The Italians rate Britain highly for contemporary culture, vibrant

cities, sports and historic buildings and monuments, but less for

welcome and scenic natural beauty; Britain was rated 14th and 27th

out of fifty nations respectively on these two attributes in 2016.

• Museums, music, films and pop videos are the cultural products or

services most strongly associated with Britain among the Italians.

• A trip to Britain would be expected to be ‘Fascinating’ and

‘Educational’ by the Italians.

• Australia and the USA are the destinations that the Italians

consider the ‘best place’ for delivering the things they most want

from a holiday destination.

• Areas of strength for Britain include being somewhere to see

‘famous sites’ and ‘lots of history’, offering ‘lots of

entertainment/nightlife’ and the ease of getting around while very

few consider Britain is the ‘best place for ‘food and drink’.

• Activities that appeal to potential Italian visitors include a visit to

Buckingham Palace and Edinburgh castle.

47

2.5 Perceptions of Britain

Source: GfK Anholt Nation Brands Index 2013 and 2016, Arkenford 2013

Areas of strength for Britain:

Contemporary culture, vibrant cities, sport and

heritage



48

Source: GfK Anholt Nation Brands Index 2016

Measure Italian

respondents

All

respondents

Overall Nation Brand 3 3

Culture (overall) 4 5

The country has a rich cultural heritage 7 7

The country is an interesting and exciting place for contemporary culture such as

music, films, art and literature3 4

The country excels at sports 6 5

People (overall) 5 7

If I visited the country, the people would make me feel welcome 14 12

Tourism (overall) 4 5

Would like to visit the country if money was no object 4 5

The country is rich in natural beauty 27 24

The country is rich in historic buildings and monuments 6 5

The country has a vibrant city life and urban attractions 3 4

Britain’s ranking (out of 50 nations)



49

Source: GfK Anholt Nation Brands Index 2016

Cultural associations Adjectives describing a potential trip to

Britain

13%

15%

16%

24%

24%

29%

29%

36%

39%

39%

47%

6%

8%

17%

21%

17%

39%

28%

37%

40%

41%

43%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%

Circus

Street Carnival

None

Sculpture

Opera

Pop videos

Modern Design

Sports

Films

Music

Museums

Italy All respondents

5%

6%

7%

7%

8%

15%

16%

30%

31%

34%

5%

5%

7%

8%

4%

10%

10%

24%

39%

31%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%

Depressing

Risky

Boring

Stressful

Spiritual

Relaxing

Romantic

Exciting

Fascinating

Educational

Italy All respondents



50

Holiday wants and % saying destination is best place for…

Source: VisitBritain/Arkenford 2013

Importance GB FR GE AU US NL6.09 Offers good value for money 13% 15% 14% 12% 13% 17%

6.02 Explore the place 14% 15% 11% 51% 41% 15%

6.00 Enjoy the beauty of the landscape 17% 27% 7% 60% 39% 15%

5.94 Do what I want when I want spontaneously 21% 14% 7% 28% 28% 19%

5.83 Have fun and laughter 20% 14% 9% 23% 32% 22%

5.81 The people are friendly and welcoming 16% 17% 13% 30% 25% 20%

5.80 Broaden my mind/ Stimulate my thinking 22% 19% 11% 47% 42% 18%

5.78 Enjoy peace & quiet 10% 16% 8% 36% 10% 16%

5.78 Enjoy local specialities (food and drink) 9% 35% 12% 13% 9% 8%

5.75 Chill/ slow down to a different pace of life 10% 15% 7% 27% 13% 14%

5.75 Experience things that are new to me 21% 14% 11% 62% 49% 15%

5.66 Do something the children would really enjoy 19% 33% 17% 28% 45% 16%

5.66 A good place to visit at any time of year 20% 27% 15% 31% 33% 17%

5.62 Visit a place with a lot of history/historic sites 38% 46% 20% 7% 15% 11%

5.62 Feel connected to nature 11% 11% 7% 64% 27% 11%

5.61 Experience activities/places with a wow factor 15% 16% 10% 52% 48% 10%

5.61 See world famous sites and places 43% 47% 18% 24% 51% 12%

5.52 It offers unique holiday experiences 19% 19% 12% 55% 50% 14%

5.46 Get off the beaten track 10% 9% 9% 38% 17% 12%

5.43 Have dedicated time with my other half 24% 41% 14% 28% 30% 18%

5.37 Provides a wide range of holiday experiences 23% 26% 14% 42% 53% 14%

5.34 Easy to get around by public transport 39% 31% 27% 15% 34% 23%

5.31 Be physically healthier 14% 19% 14% 29% 22% 16%

5.30 Meet the locals 16% 7% 3% 40% 19% 16%

5.18 Revisit places of nostalgic importance to me 24% 27% 13% 15% 25% 4%

5.14 Enjoy high quality food and drink (gourmet food) 11% 43% 10% 12% 10% 10%

5.07 Good shopping 26% 21% 11% 9% 36% 9%

4.87 Party 27% 19% 21% 30% 47% 25%

4.86 Visit places important to my family's history 12% 16% 9% 23% 17% 8%

4.84 Do something environmentally sustainable/ green 19% 12% 32% 44% 13% 36%

4.78 Feel special or spoilt 20% 21% 12% 22% 27% 16%

4.69 Meet and have fun with other tourists 13% 20% 8% 31% 37% 25%

4.47 Do something useful like volunteering to help on a project 18% 17% 13% 26% 15% 24%

4.43 To participate in an active pastime or sport 26% 16% 9% 29% 23% 11%

4.29 Go somewhere that provided lots of laid on entertainment/nightlife 43% 32% 28% 27% 53% 35%

4.24 Experience adrenalin filled adventures 16% 7% 5% 54% 61% 21%

3.87 Watch a sporting event 32% 27% 32% 22% 35% 19%

3.52 Fashionable destination 28% 31% 11% 27% 49% 12%


8%

9%

10%

12%

12%

13%

13%

16%

16%

17%

18%

18%

18%

19%

19%

21%

22%

22%

22%

22%

22%

23%

25%

42%

7%

5%

3%

11%

8%

20%

12%

21%

14%

12%

21%

10%

19%

21%

25%

21%

17%

29%

27%

14%

25%

27%

23%

45%

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45% 50%

Easy to visit with children

Visit a film/TV location

Watching sport

Cost of staying in the destination

The climate / weather

Wide range of holiday activities

Meeting locals

Easy to get plan/organise

Accommodation (variety & quality)

Security / safety

A good deal

Try local food and drink

Contemporary culture

A mix of old and new

A culture different from own

Ease of getting to the country

Visiting friends or relatives

Somewhere English-spoken

Easy to get around

Countryside/natural beauty

Vibrant cities

Wanted to go somewhere new

Wide variety of places to visit

Cultural attractions

Italy All markets


51

Motivations for choosing Britain as a holiday destination

Source: VisitBritain/IPSOS 2016, base: visitors (Market scores have been adjusted so that the sum of all

motivations for each market is equivalent to the global total, to enable meaningful comparisons)



52

Sought-after Britain activities

Source: GfK Anholt Nation Brands Index 2013; If you went on a holiday/vacation to Britain which of the following activities would you most like to do? Please choose a first, second and

third choice

7%

7%

9%

9%

9%

11%

12%

14%

14%

14%

14%

14%

15%

19%

20%

24%

26%

28%

35%

2%

2%

2%

2%

4%

3%

3%

5%

4%

5%

5%

5%

5%

5%

6%

9%

8%

9%

15%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40%

None of these

Go on the Harry Potter studio tour

Watch a musical in London's West End

Enjoy a night out in Newcastle's bars

Take the mountain train up Snowdon

Have fish & chips at the seaside

Go to a Premier League football match

Dine by the fire in a cosy Welsh pub

Enjoy traditional afternoon tea & cakes

Take a leisurely steam cruise in the Lake District

Tour around quaint Cotswold villages

Visit 16th c. historic Chatsworth House & gardens

Relax in Bath rooftop spa overlooking Roman baths

Shop on London's Oxford Street

Go walking in Yorkshire's moors & hills

Spot wildlife in Scottish Highlands

View London from Shard tower / London Eye

Visit Edinburgh castle

Visit Buckingham Palace

% first % any


Access and travel

trade

Chapter 3:

53


• Italy and Britain are well connected. 95% of visits to Britain from

Italy came by plane in 2016.

• Seat capacity from Italy to Britain has grown rapidly since 2013,

now at its highest level ever. Many airlines operate flights from

Italy to Britain with Ryanair, easyJet, British Airways and Alitalia

combined accounting for 85% of annual seat capacity in 2016.

• The regional spread of Italian visitors is supported by the

connectivity to regional airports in the United Kingdom; however

the North tends to be better connected to regional airports than

Central and Southern Italy, with the exception of Rome.

• Italian tour operators offer itineraries in Britain covering

destinations from Northern to Southern England and Scotland.

Wales remains a challenge to sell in the Italian market as there

are very few non-stop connections (Milan, Rome and Verona to

Cardiff in 2017, some of which are seasonal).

• Generally speaking, tour operators most commonly use ground

handlers in the UK.

54

3. Access and travel trade

Source: Apex Rdc 2016 non-stop flights only

95%of visits to Britain from Italy

came by plane in 2016


3.1 Access: key facts

• 95% of Italian visits to the UK were made by

plane. It is a short non-stop flight: usually

between 2-4 hrs flight time, depending on the

departure and arrival airports.

• Annual seat capacity has shown strong

growth again since 2013. 80% of annual seat

capacity in 2016 from Italy came on routes to

the London airports.

• Italian visitors departing Britain by air pay £13

in Air Passenger Duty.

• The regional spread of Italian visitors is

supported by the connectivity to regional

airports in the United Kingdom, however the

North tends to be better connected to

regional airports than Central and Southern

Italy, with the exception of Rome.

• The small annual share of some regional

airports can be due to seasonal connectivity

e.g. only included in the summer schedule.

55

Almost all visits from

Italy to the UK are

made by plane.

Source: International Passenger Survey by ONS, Apex RdC 2016, non-stop flights only

Measure 2016

Weekly aircraft departures 976

Weekly aircraft seat capacity 159,289

Airports with direct routes in Italy 28

Airports with direct routes in Britain 22

Access to Britain


3.1 Access: mode of transport and capacity

56

Source: International Passenger Survey by ONS, Apex Rdc 2016: non-stop flights only

Visits by mode of transport Annual airline seat capacity trends

1,899

54

36 0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

Vis

its (

000)

Air Sea Tunnel

Annual share by mode (2016)

95%

3% 2%

74%

14% 12%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

120%

Air Sea Tunnel

Italy All markets

8,283,019

0

1,000,000

2,000,000

3,000,000

4,000,000

5,000,000

6,000,000

7,000,000

8,000,000

9,000,000

2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016

Dep

art

ing

seats


3.1 Access: capacity

57

Source: Apex Rdc 2016: non-stop flights only

Airline seat capacity by carrier

(2016)

Origin airport annual seat capacity

*Airports with less than 2% annual seat share grouped in other: Catania – Fontanarossa, Florence – Peretola, Bari –

Palese, Genoa – Cristoforo Colombo, Palermo – Punta Raisi, Olbia – Costa Smeralda, Brindisi – Papola Casale, Ancona

– Falconara, Cagliari – Elmas, Perugia – Sant Egidio, Trieste, Pescara – Liberi, Alghero – Fertilia, Lamezia Terme, Milan

– Parma, Comiso.

17%

12%

10%

9%7%

6%

6%

5%

5%

4%

3%

3%

14%

Rome - Fiumicino Milan - Malpensa

Venice - Marco Polo Milan - Linate

Pisa - Galileo Galilei Naples

Rome - Ciampino Milan - Orio Al Serio

Bologna - Guglielmo Marconi Verona

Venice - Treviso Turin - Caselle

Other*

29%

27%

24%

5%

3%

3%

2% 2%4%

Ryanair easyJet

British Airways Alitalia

Monarch Airlines Thomson Airways

Vueling Jet2

Other


3.1 Access: capacity

58

Source: Apex Rdc 2016: non-stop flights only

Destination airport annual seat capacity

*Airports with less than 2% annual seat share grouped in other: East Midlands, Leeds/Bradford, Glasgow International,

Newcastle, Liverpool John Lennon, Glasgow Prestwick, London Southend, Cardiff, Belfast International, Southhampton,

Doncaster Sheffield, Bournemouth International, Humberside.

29%

25%

19%

7%

4%

3%

3%

2%2%

5%

London - Gatwick London - Stansted

London - Heathrow Manchester International

London - Luton London City

Edinburgh Bristol

Birmingham International Other*


• The Italian trade structure is very fragmented with about

8,500 travel agencies. 6,241 of these are affiliated to the top

eight networks.

• The trade sells Britain mainly as a short break destination

during the autumn/winter season and with coach tours and

holidays in the spring/summer season. London is the top

destination followed by the rest of England.

• Tour operators and travel agents increasingly hold a

presence on social media, mainly on Facebook.

• Online travel agencies are well established in the market.

They often can be more flexible than traditional tour

operators.

• English language courses are also an important selling point

for the trade and Britain is the most requested destination

followed by Ireland and Malta.

59

3.2 Travel trade: general overview

Sources: Guida Viaggi magazine 2016, trade feedback

The Italiantrade structure

is very fragmented.


3.2 Travel trade: Italian tour operators

60

Sources: Lagenzia di viaggi magazine, Travel Quotidiano, ANSA, Eden travel group, I Grandi Viaggi,

Veratour

Top Ten Tour Operators Turnover €m

Alpitour 1,141

Eden viaggi 298

Veratour 177

Quality group 121

Valtur 86

Boscolo Tours 80

I Grandi Viaggi 58

Top operators in Italy in 2015/16 The top major tour operators with a

comprehensive Britain programme

are:


3.2 Travel trade: Italian holidays

61

National public holidays in 2018

Public and local holidays

Date National Holiday

1 January New Year’s Day

6 January Epiphany

2 April Easter Monday

25 April Liberation Day

1 May Labour Day

2 June Republic Day

15 August Assumption Day

1 November All Saints Day

8 December Immaculate Conception Day

25 December Chirstmas Day

26 December St. Stephen‘s Day

Date Local Holiday Region

29 June Saint of the city Rome

7 December Saint of the city Milan

Local Holidays in 2018


3.2 Travel trade: practical information

General practical information:

• Business hours are usually flexible; typically 09:00 – 13:00,

14:00 - 18:00. In summer a longer lunch break is common

and changes the usual afternoon working hours to 15:30 –

19:30.

• Italians are very friendly and appreciate an open and

welcoming approach. A firm handshake is the most

traditional form of greeting. It is better to start using a

person’s title and surname until invited to use their first

name.

• Avoid scheduling meetings before 9:00/9:30 and after

18:00 and it is best to try to avoid the summer months

(mid-July until early September) as many are on holiday. It

is a good idea to plan the visit before the preparation of

new brochures/catalogues.

• Dress code: Business dress tends to be understated,

formal and conservative.

• Business Meeting Etiquette: Appointments are mandatory

and should be made in advance and reconfirmed the day

before. Please phone if you get delayed and try not to

cancel a meeting at short notice.

• Relationships in Italy are extremely important. Try to visit

your contacts at least twice a year and keep in regular

contact with them even when you are back in Britain.

• Meetings tend to vary by area: there is a tendency for them

to be more informal in the south of Italy and more formal in

the North. Allow time for the decision making process. It

can be slow and it is good to be flexible.

• Try to provide your printed material available in Italian and

English.

62


3.2 Travel trade: sales calls

Sales calls

The Italian trade structure is very fragmented. The main

Tour Operators are based in the bigger cities, Milan, Rome

and Naples, even if the structure particularly amongst

small operators is very regionalised. Therefore, before you

embark on a sales visit to Italy, VisitBritain recommends

that you take the following steps:

• Provide the operators you are visiting with a

comprehensive information pack about your products in

Italian if possible. It is often appreciated.

• On your return to Britain ensure that you follow up

quickly and renew contact regularly.

• The planning cycles of the Italian trade tends to have a

shorter turn-around time than in many other European

markets: summer catalogues tend to be planned in

February/March and winter catalogues in

September/October.

• Keep in touch with VisitBritain; let us know about your

progress. Regular market intelligence is essential for

our future plans and activities.

• It is also important to note that a significant number of

the key Britain players attend the VisitBritain’s

ExploreGB workshop, Best of Britain, BIM Marketplace

and VisitScotland Expo. Please contact VisitBritain

London for details of those attending. Some operators

also visit World Travel Market but register with the

organisers independently.

63

mailto:[email protected]


3.2 Travel trade: hospitality etiquette

64

Hospitality etiquette

If there is the opportunity it is definitely a good idea to

take your Italian business partner out for a meal or coffee

– either to build up a relationship or to thank for business

given in the past. Here are some practical tips to help you

plan this:

• Credit cards are usually accepted in all restaurants (only

double check with the small ones). VISA and Mastercard

are commonly accepted but in some restaurants

American Express cards are not accepted. In Southern

Italy it is not as common to use credit cards as in other

parts of the country, especially in smaller towns. It is best

to bring cash if you are going there.

• Arrive on time and if possible, before the invite, as

punctuality indicates reliability.

• If you order water you will be asked if you want still or

sparkling mineral water.

• Bread is always served and you can order refills any

time.

• Italians normally drink wine with their meals, although not

always at lunch time.

• Service charge and VAT are included in the price,

therefore tipping is limited. Tips are only given if you are

happy with the service provided and rarely more than €5.


3.3 Caring for the consumer

65

Language basics

English Italian

Please Per favore

Thank you Grazie

Yes Si

No No

Sorry! (apology) Scusa

Excuse me! Mi permetta

Sorry, I do not speak

Italian.

Mi spiace, non parlo

Italiano.

Caring for the consumer

• Cleanliness is paramount and expectation levels for

standards and services are high – any issues should

be resolved promptly.

• Independent travellers tend to prefer good value

accommodation and often opt for accommodation

provided by well-known chains.

• It would be advantageous to have important signs

and information material printed in Italian and to

know a few basic phrases in Italian to make Italian

visitors welcome. The degree of fluency in English

tends to vary.


3.3 Caring for the Consumer

66

Caring for the Consumer:

• Food is one of the great passions of Italian people.

Their perceptions of British food tend to be below

average.

• In Italy the main meal is usually dinner. A three-

course dinner is usually taken at about 8pm. When

eating Italian cuisine, “primo” refers to the pasta or

rice course. ‘Secondo’ refers to a fish or meat dish.

Fresh bread and water should be plentiful. Fresh fruit

should be offered as a dessert option.

• Lunch during the week is very light with fresh salad,

sandwiches or a dish of pasta is the norm. On

Sunday when the family is together lunch becomes

the meeting point for all to spend some spare time

together. Lunch is normally eaten about 1pm.

• Last but not least a good meal tends to finish with an

excellent espresso (usually short and strong)

sometimes with fresh milk.

• Italians tend to generally be conservative eaters and

when travelling abroad choose to eat simple British

fare or Italian food. The younger traveller has a

higher propensity to sample a wider variety of options

including ethnic and Asian cuisine.

• Italy is one of the most important vegetarian markets

in Europe; it is recommended to have vegetarian

dishes in the menus. There is increasing interest in

health and nutrition in daily life.

• Many Italians love wine but they often are not large

consumers of alcohol, and excessive drinking tends

to be frowned upon. In Italy it is impolite to fill a glass

too full.


3.3 Caring for the consumer: Italian language tips

67

Language tips for arrival and departure

English Italian

Hello Ciao

My name is… Il mio nome è...

Welcome to Britain Benvenuto in Gran Bretagna

Pleased to meet you! Piacere di conoscerti

How are you? Come stai?

Enjoy your visit! Goditi la visita!

Goodbye Arrivederci

Did you enjoy your visit? Ti è piaciuta la visita?

Have a safe journey home! Buon rientro!

Hope to see you again soon! A presto!


We can help you extend your reach

through:• Digital and social media such as through

Twitter, our Facebook page – Love GREAT

Britain, or Pinterest.

• Press and PR by sending us your newsworthy

stories or hosting our journalists and broadcast

crew

• Leisure, and the business travel trade via our

programme of sales missions, workshops and

exhibitions or promotion to our qualified

Britagents and supplier directory

• Print advertising in targeted media/Britain

supplements

• Retailing your product through the VisitBritain

shop

• Or as a major campaign partner

68

3.4 Working with VisitBritain

We are here to support you and look

forward to working with you.

To find out more browse our

opportunity search

(visitbritain.org/opportunities)

or trade website

(trade.visitbritain.com)

or contact the B2B events team

(Email: [email protected])

or campaign partnerships team


or trade support team


http://www.visitbritain.org/opportunities

http://trade.visitbritain.com/en





We have dedicated research and insights

available which include:

• Latest monthly and quarterly data from the

International Passenger Survey by ONS

(visitbritain.org/latest-monthly-data

visitbritain.org/latest-quarterly-data-uk-overall

visitbritain.org/latest-quarterly-data-area)

• Inbound Tourism Trends by Market

visitbritain.org/inbound-tourism-trends

• Sector-specific research

visitbritain.org/sector-specifc-research

• 2017 Inbound Tourism Forecast

visitbritain.org/forecast

• Britain‘s competitiveness

visitbritain.org/britains-competitiveness

69

3.5 Useful research resources



To find out more about the Italian or other

inbound markets browse

our markets & segments pages or

(visitbritain.org/markets-segments)

our inbound research & insights or

(visitbritain.org/inbound-research-insights)

contact us directly


https://www.visitbritain.org/latest-monthly-data

https://www.visitbritain.org/latest-quarterly-data-uk-overall

https://www.visitbritain.org/latest-monthly-data



https://www.visitbritain.org/inbound-tourism-trends

https://www.visitbritain.org/sector-specific-research

https://www.visitbritain.org/forecast

https://www.visitbritain.org/britains-competitiveness

https://www.visitbritain.org/markets-segments

https://www.visitbritain.org/inbound-research-insights



We have dedicated research and insights

available which include:

• Planning, decision-making and booking cycle of

international leisure visitors to Britain

https://www.visitbritain.org/understanding-

international-visitors

• Technology and social media

https://www.visitbritain.org/understanding-

international-visitors

• Gateways in England, insights on overseas

visitors to England's regions, participation in

leisure activities, multi-destination trips and

more

visitbritain.org/visitor-characteristics-and-

behaviour

70

3.5 Useful market-specific research resources



To find out more about the Italian or other

inbound markets browse

our markets & segments pages or

(visitbritain.org/markets-segments)

our inbound research & insights or

(visitbritain.org/inbound-research-insights)

contact us directly


https://www.visitbritain.org/understanding-international-visitors

https://www.visitbritain.org/understanding-international-visitors

https://www.visitbritain.org/visitor-characteristics-and-behaviour

https://www.visitbritain.org/markets-segments

https://www.visitbritain.org/inbound-research-insights



Market and

Trade Profile: Italy

November 2017

Market Profile Italy - VisitBritainMarket and Trade Profile Italy 1.1 Key statistics: regional...

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Transcript of Market Profile Italy - VisitBritainMarket and Trade Profile Italy 1.1 Key statistics: regional...